


The Troublesome Adventures of Bella & Bilbo!

by CoopPenny



Series: Feathers of a Hobbit [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Adventurous Tooks, Alternate Universe, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Awesome Belladonna, Awesome childhood, Badass Bilbo Baggins, But Bella is seriously cool, Character Death, Childhood, Everyone Loves Bilbo Baggins, Except bad guys, F/M, Fell Winter, Not literally, Pain, Poor Bella, Poor Bilbo, Pre- The Hobbit Movie, Revenge, Scars, Super mum!!, Wingfic, Wings, Young Bilbo Baggins, powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-08-10 06:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7834453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoopPenny/pseuds/CoopPenny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belladonna Took is an adventurous lass but when a terrible winter falls upon the Shire, taking her husbands life and leaving her as an only parent to raise young Bilbo...</p><p>She ends up making a decision that would make any respectable Hobbit faint where they stood!</p><p>((((NOTICE:::: NOT A STAND-ALONE STORY)))))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Adventure!

**Author's Note:**

> Right, this is going into Bilbo's backstory quite a bit so you've been forewarned!  
> I finally got to write this all out, this story has been on my mind non-stop for weeks now!!  
> I'm just glad to finally word it out...

_Dear Friends and Family (whom may not understand)_

 

_By the time you read this letter, my son and I will be far from the Shire borders. We will be leaving Bag-End for a long period of time, in fact we may not even come back from this adventure as we could have found a new home during it._

_Now there is no cause for worry or panic, and (as many of you are probably thinking) I am not insane by making this decision. I've decided that in order to heal from our broken-hearts, we will have to leave the very place that our loved ones spirit wonders, lurking in the chair that he always loved or in the study that he claimed, one day, would be the birth of his very first book. You have to understand that my heart breaks a little bit more every time I set his place at the dinner table, forgetting he's no longer with us or I see that pipe that he always loved still sitting on a shallow table where I didn't have the heart to move it out of sight._

_My little Bilbo is no better. He sees through my fake smiles and cheery voice, sees through to my soul and sees it in tatters and despair and I see his fear of loosing me through his. I see the unshed tears in his eyes where he wants to cry, to break down and let the grief wash over him but he resists. He sees himself as the 'man of the house' now and that means that he has to stay strong by any means necessary. I can't do that to him. I can't watch a little boy suffer silently because he thinks that it's the right thing to do._

_I know that the idea of doing this is probably going to be frowned upon by most of the Shire and I must say that I am not being rash but I am doing the thing that I think is best for my son._

_Incase we ever do decide to return, I would like to find that my home would not be ransacked the minute, my son and I stepped out of the Shire borders. I ask you to wait at least 10 years until you gift this home to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and her family. This house is large and I would very much like to fill it with little ones running around the place like Bungo and I used to dream about. I would like our neighbours the Gamgees to continue to tend to the garden how they want; if they wish to of course. I know that Bungo wouldn't mind what you do to it, you know how much he loved your prize winning tomatoes when you grew them._

_I apologise to you my friends and family, for I am not strong enough to stay here with all of you. I know that we have all had our losses and that this is no excuse to me running away from the ghosts that keep me up at night. This home, is a constant reminder of what I had lost, from the love of my life to the many tiny little Hobbits that we never got to have._

_I would also like to thank you all for the support you've given since Bungo's passing but I'm afraid to admit that a simple talking to and a bit of tea is not enough to ease my pain._

_You don't know how sorry I am for doing this to you but please have faith in my actions and have faith that I want only the best for my son._

_On that note, I bid you farewell and may our paths cross again._

 

_Sincerely yours,_

 

_Belladonna Took-Baggins_

 

\-----

 

Bella looked down at the letter that she'd just finished writing. She took a moment to stare at the ink that explained her position.

Against her will, her vision started to blur with the unshed tears in her eyes. She still couldn't believe it. She didn't want to. But with one look at the empty lime-green cushioned chair that faced the fire-place she knew that she had to do this, even if it felt like she was abandoning her whole life.

Her Bungo was gone and nothing in the whole of Middle-Earth could change that.

He had fallen last winter, the worst winter that they had had in recent memory. Everyone was now calling it the Fell Winter due to everyones many losses. A lot of Hobbits had fallen along with her Bungo. Whole families had been frozen or starved to death in their own homes and some, who could get out of their homes, where attacked by the wolves that were able to cross over due to the river freezing over.

Their house had been near freezing and Bilbo was coming down with a bad cold, which they knew he wouldn't survive if they didn't keep him warm. Bungo had insisted that he go and collect the wood while she tried to cook a warm stew; she had always been the better cook. She was just stirring the stew when she heard a loud scream reverberate through the air around their home, the sound sent a surge of dreaded panic through her system, so strong that it almost made her sick. She knew that voice.

Without a second thought, she grabbed her discarded sword and ran out into the night. By the time she had fought off the beasts, she was already too late. That was the first attack of the wolves that winter...

She couldn't live in a house when every time she looked at one of his possessions, she instantly thinks back to the mangled flesh, glassy eyes and blood-red snow that surrounded her love. No. She couldn't do it.

That's when she decided that they needed a fresh start. Away from the ghosts and the phantom screams she hears in the night.

Bilbo's... condition was the finale nudge she really needed to start packing up the bags and taking everything that they could possibly need.

Their child had been sheltered and hidden away since he was 5 years old, when they first saw the change. Both, Bella and Bungo knew that their child would be seen as a freak of nature and that his gifts would not be seen as such by those that refused to understand. They knew that he would suffer the rejection and torment if anyone were to knew of their child's wonderful gift so they hide him. He still went out and played with the other kids but he was always to be extra careful and had to take curtain precautions to not cause suspicion.

But this was not the life that Bella wanted for their child. She didn't want him to hide who he really was just to fit in properly. She wanted him to thrive in the world not permanently looking over his shoulder and being wary for the rest of his life. He was at the delicate age of 15 now where he would start to question things and she didn't want him to grow up thinking that his gift that was blessed to him was a bad thing. He already knew that he wasn't normal but she didn't want him to be afraid of himself.

Bella looked around her too quiet home with her hands on her hips. With a small nod, she grabbed her sword and daggers as well as her plant lore book and put them in her pack.

"Come on Bilbo, it's time to go!" she called to the dining room, where she knew her child was finishing up his first breakfast (she had a feeling that the meals were gong to have to change while they're on the road).

Slowly, Bilbo came through the arched door in their hall and then frowned at his mothers sheathed sword in confusion. Turning his head, fast enough so that his golden blond curls bounced a little, he eyed the two packs by the door. One of them was considerably smaller than the other, obviously for his seize.

Looking back at his mother, he asked in an uncertain voice, "Where are we going Mama?"

Bella, picking up on her child's uncertainty, kneeled to his height and held both his shoulders in a loose grip. She smiled warmly at him as she brushed some rebellious curls from his eyes and with as much of a cheery tone she could muster she said:

"We're going to go on an adventure!"

 


	2. Healing of our hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! New chapter!!  
> Hope you like it!

They were only a couple of weeks into their journey and, already, Bella could tell that things had improved. She could see that Bilbo no longer felt the need to become respectable at such a young age as no one was there to tell him what to do or glare at him for doing something wrong, he'd become his proper age again and Bella could find a small comfort in that. Bella had improved herself as she could feel the heavy weight that had settled on her shoulders lift a little bit every time she sees that bright smile that near consumes her child's face.

The days rolled on slowly and they continued to walk at a steady pace. Bella couldn't walk at a normal speed, couldn't walk all day and sleep all night, she had a 15 year old child with her after all and Bilbo couldn't walk hours on end with no help and Bella couldn't carry him, his pack and her pack for very long either. So they stopped every few hours to rest and have some food.

In these stops, Bella had taken to teaching Bilbo some plant lore from the book that she'd brought with her and as they walked, she would see Bilbo run ahead, well within view of course, and search for the plants that he had learnt about so far. Bella couldn't help the pride that filled and warmed her chest when she found him to be just as fast learner as she was; thirsting for all the knowledge that he could get his hands on. One day, she would teach him how to fight but first they had to get somewhere safe before that happened.

Bilbo seemed to be overjoyed with the adventure, finding the different scenery and landscapes to be beautiful and taking in every thing that his bright green eyes could. He was interested in the different plants that he could use and what they could be better used for and he enjoyed the new animals that he'd never seen before lingering among the thick trees of the forest that they sometimes had to walk through. What he didn't enjoy was the cutting of his meals. He'd found it appalling that his usual, healthy, seven meals a day were now cut down to four. Bella had explained that in those four meals, they were actually eating enough for the day and that the seven meals a day were not completely essential for them to live. The fact didn't stop him from scowling though...

Today, was cold. The breeze of the wind and the slight shiver of her child had Bella cursing the quick change to the dawning winter. The chill only got worse as the sun was beginning to set, they needed to make camp as well. By the time winter set in, her and Bilbo needed to be in Rivendell or somewhere else that can provide warmth and shelter. They were quite lucky so far to not come across any trouble.

"No!! Please! Take me instead! Please! I BEG YOU!!!"

... She spoke too soon...

Without a second thought, she ran to where the commotion was taking place, Bilbo hot on her heels. She could hear the cries getting more louder and desperate as they got closer and it wasn't long until they got to a big clearing.

Crouching low in the bushes, Bella and Bilbo could see three huge cave trolls surrounding a low fire with a black pot in the centre of it. She then saw who was begging and her heart nearly stopped at the sight. Tied up at the edge of the clearing, in sacks of all things, where what appeared to be a family. The Father pleading for the life of his wife and child but the trolls ignored him, trying and failing to decide how to cook them.

"We shou' jus' boil 'em" one said while to stuck his finger in his nose.

"No, Tom! If we boil 'em they ain't gonna taste ha'f as nice!" another said to the first who is supposedly called Tom.

"So wha' do ya thin' we shou' do, Bert?" the final one asked while he looked at the family with hungry eyes.

"I thin' we shou' squish 'em to jelly." Tom mumbled.

"We di' tha' las' time and William, no ea'ing b'fore dinna!" Bert yelled at the last one.

Bella was done observing and with a set to her jaw, she looked at her son who had the same determination in his eyes as she did. With a small nod, Bella turned to her pack and dug out some of her poisonous plants that she picked a couple of weeks ago, deadly Nightshade. She mixed the plant in a bowl among other poisonous plants as well a some other plants to mask it's taste.

With a grimace, Bella handed the bowl to her child and in a quiet voice she explained her plan. Bella hugged her child and with a comment to be quiet and stay out of sight she let him rush off around the other side of the outskirts. She knew that he was too young to be doing things like this but desperate times called for desperate measures and she knew for a fact that no amount of speech was going to change his mind when he came to a decision. Stubborn. Just like his Father...

Taking a deep breath, Bella looked at the trolls again, eyes going wide as she saw one of the cave trolls, Tom, about to pick up the child.

"WAIT!!!" She screamed as she burst out of the clearing.

Everyone froze, the trolls with shocked confusion and the family with silent hope.

"Do you even know how to cook them?!" She shouted as if she were offended by the trolls cooking skills.

Bert snorted, "And I s'pose you know 'ow?! Wha' are ya anyways?"

"I am a Tookbit! And I know all about cooking from plants to humans! I am rather well known for cooking humans to perfection! I'm surprised you haven't heard of me!" she continued with a pleasant smile.

"Really?!" Bert said, a mixture of shock and suspicion in his voice.

"I commend you for your excellent cooking so far! I, as a professional, am rather impressed with how you have gone about your cooking!"

At this the troll puffed his chest with pride at the flattery, he then whacked Tom round the head, "You two cou' learn som'thin' fro' this Tookbi'! Tell me, Tookbi', wha' am I doin' wrong?"

He was actually really polite for a troll. Well, except for the eating people part...

She went on to explain that Man, Dwarves and Elves alike can be found with certain parasites and worms riddled throughout them so they had to be thoroughly checked for any such thing or it could pass on to them. With the trolls well distracted, Bilbo snuck up to the pot and chucked in the poison as fast and discreetly as he could before scampering off, completely unseen.

"Now, there is a herb that can improve your stew's taste and protect you from the parasites that are in their bodies." She said as she presented a handful of mint leaves and chucked them into the pot.

"I than' ya, Tookbi'!" Bert said, happy with all the tips and warnings for his future cooking, "Wou' ya like ta ea' with us?"

Very polite indeed!

"I am sorry, Master Bert for I am a busy Tookbit and have others that are in need of my assistance with their cooking. I thank you for the offer and your company but I have to be off!"

"Goo' bye, Tookbi'!" he said before she sank into the shadows of the trees.

With a small smile, Bella watched as each troll took a sip of the soup exclaiming that it tasted better with the added herb that Bella put in. In one minute, they were all coughing and soon were all dead.

Coming out of the clearing, she smiled at the shocked and most likely traumatised family, "Bilbo!" she called and in less than a second her child came running from the trees with a bright smile on his face as he jumped into her arms for a hug.

"Mother! Mother! Did you see me!? Did you see!? You were so cool Mama! Those trolls didn't know what hit them!"

"Okay, oaky. Bilbo, calm down," she calmed, smiling slightly at his enthusiasm, "We have to help this family, okay?"

With a nod of his head, Bilbo ran over to one of the crying girls, a child seeming to be around his age, and started to talk to her with a bright smile and cheery voice.

Bella grabbed her dagger and started to cut everyone loose, as soon as she cut loose the Father, he threw his arms around Bella in an unsuspected hug.

"Thank you! Th-Thank you so much! I-I don't know how we can repay you!" his voice wavered as he cried into her shoulder with tears of happiness and relief.

Gently, Bella pushed the man away enough so that he could see her kind smile, "It's fine, your safe now. You and you family are safe." she shushed.

It was only a minute later that the family were in each others arms, with grateful tears in their eyes. Once they had finished, the Mother turned to their saviours and gave them a watery smile, "I would like to invite you to our home. It's the least we could do to thank you."

"Mama, can we spend the night with Trisha's family?" Bilbo asked with big round eyes and stuck out his bottom lip when she didn't answer their offer immediately.

Bella internally groaned when she caught sight of that face. How didn't her child even know how to do The Face?!

Looking at the Mother of the family, she saw her trying to cover an amused grin and with a slight nod, Bella knew that they had permission to stay for a while.

"Okay, we can stay." she caved in, "But only one night and then we have to get on the road again. No complaining."

"Yes, Mother!" he said as he ran to the girl he was talking to before. He grabbed her hand and she lead the way to their house.

With that, the Father picked up her bag while she carried Bilbo's and they headed to their house after a stress filled night. The house was small and had a small patch of land that they farmed from. It looked more like a holiday home and it was far from any other civilisation... Bella didn't want to think about the million possible reasons to that so she didn't ask any questions; it wasn't any of her business anyway.

The food was plentiful for the night and Bilbo was certainly happy to be with someone his own age. Come morning, Bella woke up early to search for the troll cave. She knew that every troll had a cave and with it was a hoard of some sort. It only took her half and hour before she found it. Smiling slightly to herself, Bella went down to find anything salvageable. She gaged as the smell hit her, smell of decay and mould, but she shook it off as she saw all the buckets of gold and piles of clothes dotted around the cave.

She had her own weapons and her own money but Bilbo was a growing boy and he wasn't in the safety of his own home anymore. He will need his own weapons to fight. So she searched for materials to make clothes and she looked for weapons that he could use. In her search, she found some dusty but strong material that would only need a little altering and that he'd grow into a little more and she came across a nice whole set of daggers, made from fine metal and a leather hilt and she found an elvish sword. The sword, oddly enough, was about Hobbit seized. Perfect for her son to carry when he was a bit older. She then filled her coin bag with a small amount from the bucket of gold and then headed back to the farm house.

Taking part in a hearty breakfast, they said their farewells; Bella also telling the Mother and Father (Lily and Owen) about the troll hoard and the gold they had there if they were interested.

With that, they were on their way with no complaining from Bilbo, as promised, and a new light that they'd arrive in Rivendell in less than a days walk.

 

\----------

 

Luckily, there was no farther dangers on the road as Bella lead the way to the Last Homely Home. Bilbo had never seen the place that she spoke so fondly of in the Shire for his bed time stories, he didn't know that they were going to visit the Elves which he wanted to meet so much before the Fell Winter happened.

Distantly, Bella wondered if her son found Elves interesting anymore, wondered if he would become as good as friends with them as she had come to see them in the years of knowing them. She'd sent them a message, by Raven, informing them for their on coming visit, ensuring a known welcome. She hadn't explained anything in her letter in full but hopefully they'd get the idea that she wasn't alone.

They'd taken a short break along the way, just inside the Elven boarders. It only taken them another hour or so to reach the front door.

Bella glanced down at Bilbo, a small smile curving her lips as she saw the awe and wonder in his vibrant green forest eyes. Right then, she knew she'd made a good decision in taking him on this adventure.

As they drew closer, she saw four figures standing with their hands behind their backs it didn't take her long to figure out just who had came out to greet them.

A wide smile enveloped her face but she had to reframe herself from running as she felt the small hand of her little fauntling slide into her own. "It's okay, Bilbo," she soothed as she gently brushed a hand threw his soft curls, "These are the friends I've told you about before."

Bilbo stared at her with wide eyes, he looked back at the friendly faced Elves before settling on a timid nod.

They were now only a few feet away from the lined Elves before they stopped.

Lord Elrond smiled pleasantly, "Welcome back to Rivendell, Belladonna."

Bella rolled her eyes before she let go of Bilbo's hand and threw her arms around the Elven Lord's legs. "Come now, there is no need for formalities, my friend." she cheered a second later she could feel the hands on her back where he had to return the embrace awkwardly.

"It has been a long time and I regret not visiting after I'd settled in the Shire but I'd like you all to meet my son, Bilbo Baggins." Bella continued as she pulled away to stand beside her son again.

An amused expression over came her face as she watched her precious child's face go beetroot red as all of the attention focused on him, then with a hesitant bow he said in a higher than usual voice, "At your service."

The cute display was enough for Elrond's son to break formation and coo and hold him.

"Ada, can we keep him?" asked Elrohir as he rubbed his cheek into Bilbo's hair.

"We'll be really good!" Elladan begged giving his father a pleading face as he cuddled Bilbo on the opposite side of his brother.

Elrond and Lindir looked like they were about to face palm from the twins improper actions. Belladonna could only laugh at the display of her sons silently pleading glances in her direction, turning into one of betrayal when she found amusement in his torture.

"Elladan, Elrohir, you should do well to remember your manners." Elrond said smoothly with an undertone of annoyance, which made the twins cast identical sheepish expressions, giving a quiet apology to the small Hobbit before they were once again standing next to their father, "I apologise to you, Master Baggins, for my sons ill manners. I am Lord Elrond and I will be happy to house you and your Mother for the winter season. These are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir. This," he gestured to the last member of the group, "Is Lindir, my overseer and friend."

Lindir, bowed to Bilbo and his mother, his face neutral the whole time but his eyes sparking in warmth and kindness.

Bilbo only seemed to blush a brighter red as he was called 'Master Baggins'. Quickly, he nodded his head and stammered out, "Thank y-you f-for the apology. I-It was quite a-alright. Th-Thank you for o-opening your h-home to m-my Mother and I."

Once introductions were over, Bella and Bilbo were invited to the Lord's table for dinner after they'd cleaned themselves up and dressed comfortably.

As they were lead throw the halls of Rivendell, Bilbo couldn't quite stop himself from openly gaping at the beauty of the place. His mothers past words of the Elven home didn't do it any justice. The Lord's sons may had seen his silent adoration as they'd offered to give him a tour and introduce him to the library to which he could barely hide his excitement at the thought of it.

Bilbo was glad to see that they were being placed together in the same room until he git more comfortable and could have the room next to hers. After the door had shut behind them, Bilbo wasted no time in filling the bathtub with warm water for his long overdue bathe while his mother went to the balcony. Stripping his clothes, Bilbo was able to release the glamour that he'd put around him ever since he was a little boy. When he released it, he could feel the muscles in his shoulders relax as he let the ruby red wings unfold and sag to the floor.

It'd been a while since he'd groomed his feathers and it felt so good to finally relax the appendages. He knew that the wings he carried were not normal, he knew that if anyone found out that a number of unpredictable things could happen. A shiver shot up his spine at some of the ideas he'd conjured up. His mother had told him the story behind the wings, how he was blessed and more special than any other Hobbit in the Shire. He did't think they were a blessing and he didn't think that they were abnormal, to him, it was natural as breathing.

With out farther thought, Bilbo climbed into the steaming water and then proceeded to groan loudly as the what the warmth did for his muscles. He then grabbed soaps and oils as well as his grooming kid that his mother had made for him in his pack. Feathers straight and dirt-free, making the bath water an odd colour, Bilbo got out of the now cold water and slipped a big fluffy towel around his shoulders, the thing was big enough to drag along the floor as he walked.

Walking out of the bathroom Bilbo was quite shocked to see Elvish clothes folded on the bed, one for his mothers seize and shape and another for him. Intrigued, Bilbo decide to inspect the soft, almost silky material with nimble fingers (he had never seen or felt Elven clothing before). However, Bilbo froze at what he saw in the back, his bright smile falling into one of stunned shock. In the back of the material, right on the shoulder blades, Bilbo spotted small slits, big enough for his wings to slip through. Did they know? If they did know, what were they going to do about it? Were they going to take him away?!

Dimly, Bilbo was aware that his breathing was turing into short uneven puffs of air. Is that why they put them in separate rooms?! So that they could take him away easily? No, they were his mothers friends. They were not a danger to him or his mother. Slowly, he got his breathing under control again. He had to tell his mother...

In a fit of panic, Bilbo barged into the bathing room which his mother had just slipped into. He didn't see anything as his mother was lightning fast to grab a towel from the near by rack and cover her exposed privacy.

Bella glared at her son ready to begin her telling off on woman decency and knowing your manners even though they hadn't been in a place with door for such a time. But when she saw the look of panic and terror on her fauntling's face making her mood switch from mildly annoyed to concerned.

In a soft a voice she could make, she asked, "Bilbo, honey, what's wrong?"

Bilbo was on the brink of tears now, his fear of being snatched away from his mother's arms making him go into distress, "I-I think that the-the Elves may kn-know of my blessing." He sobbed, tears finally rushing down his cheeks in a rapid fashion and his shoulders trembling at the power of it.

Bella quickly went to her child after tying the towel around her chest and swept Bilbo into a tight embrace and then proceeded to rock and church him "Why do you think that, Sweetie?" she asked after she got him to calm down enough.

A few tears still falling from his eyes, Bilbo silently presented the shirt that he'd found for him and his wings.

Bella inspected the holes in the back with a slight frown on her face before a sudden dawn of realisation lit up her eyes, "There is no need to fear, my little Bilbo." she reassured, "The Elves knew what you were the second they saw you. They... They have a sense for special people and what they can do as they can live an extremely long time and would have likely come across someone like you. There is no need to hide here. You are safe. No one is going to take you away, I promise and the Elves wont dislike you because of it. They'd more likely be fascinated by you as you are an extraordinary little boy, my one of a kind." she then kissed his forehead before giving him a reassuring smile.

"Really?" Bilbo asked in a small hopeful voice.

"Really." she kissed his forehead again before she made her tone flat and said, "What have I told you about manners with a Lady. Especially when they are getting changed."

At this Bilbo blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment, "Er,"

 

\-----

 

It was only natural for the Elves to stare at the Hobbit child. Why wouldn't they? Not only are the simple life styled Hobbit's rarely seen outside of their borders but the child wilded great power that only the oldest of Elves had sensed before, not to mention the beautiful wings that sprouted from his back, the red and gold feathers glittering and shimmering in the lights.

The stares were however met with the furious jade greed eyes for the Hobbit child's mother that seemed to come alight whenever she caught someone staring for too long. This effectively warded the Elves off from their curious pursuit.

After the matters of Bilbo's... differences were discussed, Elrond had apologised to his young guest for scaring him the way he did. Its still took Bilbo a couple of weeks to finally stretch the glue that he had made to his mothers side. As Bilbo started to venture around the Elven home, he had bonded quiet well with the Lord's son, their playful and daring ways making them seem like Bilbo's own age.

My the Valar help them when the three of them got bored and decided to have some 'fun'. There had been a few incidences since Bella's and Bilbo's arrival already...

During the white coats of winter, Bilbo found himself loving the place more and more. The inhabitance, while surprised, were very kind and inviting. The whole atmosphere throughout the place was peaceful and serene and it certainly helped that he was able to play with others while he was there. It kind of reminded him of the Shire but less green and more grand. While Bilbo was sad at the knowledge that they would have to take their leave on the first signs of spring, he found it was more of a place where the elderly would come for piece. Maybe when he was old and wrinkly, he could come here?

Bella and Bilbo had also been busy completing Bilbo's study on plant lore and enforced some of her defence training on him. Bella ending up teaching her son some hand to hand combat and some skills in the small dagger she had gifted to him shortly after their arrival. One of the high guards, Glorfindel, had helped in the training, gifting him a small bow and arrows to practice his aim. Though it was proven not to be his strongest weapon as he had accidentally shot an arrow into the sky causing all of the near by Elves to run and jumped for cover gaining grass stains on their pristine clothes; one Elf emerging from a bush with twigs in their silk like hair. Other than that one incident, Bilbo had shown potential for wielding a bow.

Their time in Rivendell had also helped Bilbo become rather sneaky; his footfalls silent to the Elves acute hearing. It was known to some that Hobbits were extremely light on their feet and could sneak past almost anyone but Bilbo's footfalls were as silent as feathers. It had made Lord Elrond wonder if Bilbo were a Master Thief in another lifetime. Elladan and Elrohir had been overjoyed with the fact as it meant that their pranks would be more successful with the help of their silent companion. Like that time when everyones training swords had been replaced with mops and broom sticks, the swords nowhere to be found. Or that time where everyones clothes were dyed bright pink from a plant that had been hidden in the clothes.

Bilbo had also had help with his control on his blessing. Lord Elrond had especially helped in that, allowing him to find the limit to his powers and how to control it but due to his young age the Lord could only predict the potential power Bilbo would gain as an adult.

On the day of first spring, three months later, Bella had declared that they would be making her departure in two days and Bilbo couldn't help but feel a little glum at that. But nonetheless, Bilbo was folding his elvish clothes, some going in the draws of his own room and others going in his pack. Once again his glamour was up, his new knives held around his waist, buckled and secure, and his bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder.

As much as Bilbo wanted to stay, he still wanted to explore what his mother had seen and meet all of her friends that she had made along her travels. Her friends, Lord Elrond and his sons, had become his as well and while he was reluctant to go, he knew that their paths would cross again.

That night, the Elves threw a massive party for their departure on the morrow. It was nearing the end of the night when he was pulled over by Lord Elrond, his face calm with an edge of seriousness.

"I wanted to talk to you Bilbo, before you went with your mother again and continued your journey. You must know that I have seen great visions of your power. All the good you are going to do and all of the people you will save on the way. You are a force of great good in our world and I am honoured to have met you so early into your life and am honoured to call you a friend." he said as he crouched down low to Bilbo's hight and gave the awed Hobbit a kind smile, "You are welcome in the halls of Rivendell at any time and if you should ever need our help, we would be honoured to do so. Just remember, that you, Bilbo Baggins, are to do incredible things when you grow up and never doubt yourself when others do."

The Lord smiled widely once again and Bilbo couldn't help but throw his arms around the Elven Lords neck and hugged him tightly. It was only a couple of seconds before Bilbo felt the embrace returned and he couldn't help the bright smile that nearly consumed his entire face.

In the morning, they were once again at the front gates. Bilbo a little taller and stronger than when he was there last and his studies on plant lore near complete.

Both mother and son stood beside each other as they said goodbye to their friends.

The twins enveloped him in a double tight hug as they proceeded to talk over one another, "Remember to come back, okay?" Elladan ordered in a motherly tone.

"Or we're going to have to find you and then bring you back ourselves!" continued Elrohir.

"If you don't we'll get really bored,"

"And everyone knows that that works out for no one except us."

"When you come back, you have to go on a hunt with us,"

"So we can see how well you've ben doing,"

"And if we can teach you anything else!"

"Bella could probably teach you some more Sindarian as well,"

"Like we've been doing!"

Bilbo was completely lost at this point so the only thing he could really do was nod dumbly as he tried to process their conversation.

The twins hugged him one last time before they let him go completely.

Looking up at his mother, Bilbo could see the ease and happiness the adventure had brought them so far and he couldn't help the excitement that filled him at the thought of meeting more people and the thought of doing something life changing. So, Bilbo left the beautiful scenery of Rivendell with a lighter heart and a promise to return one day.

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters com'ing up soon!!


	3. Of birth and death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!  
> The dwarves and their journey to reclaim Erebor will come in a few chapters later but right now you just gotta deal with cute little Bilbo!

Bilbo woke up excited and like a huge ball of energy.

It had been about a month after they'd left Rivendell and the road had been clear and Bilbo had become accustomed to the hours of walking and the lack of food, it didn't stop him from grumbling about it though. They didn't need to stop so often or for so long and he no long glared at the small portion of food that was gifted to him by his mother but smiled and ate what he could. His plant lore education was complete and Bilbo was confident enough that he felt like he knew most of the healing remedies and poisons. He'd had more training with his knives, perfecting his aim with his knives and his arrows while also working on his foot work while fighting hand to hand. He wasn't so good with fighting or weapons but his mother had said that when he's older he'd be the best fighter of them all!

Everything so far about this adventure had been exciting and Bilbo found that he was doing things which he may have never been able to do if they'd stayed in the Shire. But today he was nearly shaking with barely contained excitement on what this day may bring. Nothing could possibly ruin this day for today was Bilbo's first birthday on the road.

They'd just come by a small settlement of mostly Men and some other Races and decided to send his 16th birthday in the settlement so that Bella could raid the stores for suitable gifts for her little fauntling. Bilbo wasn't expecting anything big, he knew that when on the road that some things were hard to come by and it was difficult to find people to do the specific things that you wanted.

Without farther ado, Bilbo leapt out of bed and on to the creaky floor boards of the Inn they decided to stay at while they were there, he rushed over to his mothers bed which was no less that a couple of feet away and proceeded to shake her away like any other excited child would.

"Mama! Mama! Come on! We're burning daylight!" he gushed.

"How did you... never mind..." Bella groaned, too tired to be properly confused as to where Bilbo had learnt that phrase, "Okay Bilbo, why are we in such a rush?" she asked in mock confusion.

Bilbo openly gaped at her, shocked that his own mother would forget his special day, "It's my birthday! I'm 16 now!"

Bella gasped, faking her surprise and covering her mouth with her hand so that her child couldn't see her smirking, "No! You can't be! But that's so old and you still look like my little baby boy! I think your lying." She gave Bilbo an inspecting look before she snapped her fingers and exclaimed, "You must be about 11 at the most or I wouldn't be able to call you my little boy!"

"No, Mama! I am really 16 and I'm nearly a tween now!" he corrected matter of faculty while he put fisted hands on his hips and puffed up his chest in pride.

Barely catching the small chuckle bubbling up in her chest, Bella gave her child another calculating look, her eyes then went wide and a wide grin broke over her face, "Ah! You are turning 16 today aren't you? No your not 11, that was years ago!" Bilbo gave her a satisfied nod but he squealed when his mother picked him up, "But your still my little Baby no matter the age!" she exclaimed in triumph.

"NO!!!" Bilbo yelled in-between laughs and giggles as she continued to assault his feet and belly.

Plunking her little boy on the mattress she gave him a wide grin as she kissed his forehead and softly said, "Happy Birthday my little faunt."

Both quickly got dressed for the day, both of them in dark travel clothes, a stark contrast to the brightly coloured and fashionable clothes Bilbo remembers wearing in the Shire, as to not draw any greedy eyes.

Bella was going to treat Bilbo to a day in the market. Bilbo had never been to one in the Shire with it's many stalls and the loud shouts of offers and deals, he'd never felt the energy and atmosphere of the constantly busy Shire market but this was the next best option. She also hoped she could maybe find a local baker to make them a small sweet treat without Bilbo's knowing.

Hoods up and money pouch well concealed, they went on their way to the local market filled with all kinds of people and the air filled with different scents of foreign food of the different Races.

Bella had a hard time trying to make sure that the Men didn't accidentally step on or trip over them, Big Folk always were careless with their surroundings. Bilbo, on the other hand, was busy looking at anything and everything, green eyes sweeping through the whole thing and drinking in all the sights around him.

It was in one of his observations that he noticed something strange. A Man. Though it didn't look completely like a Man per se. No, this Man was extremely short, maybe just a foot or two taller than his own mother. His feet were wrapped, his shoulders were broad and arms corded with lean muscles so it definitely wasn't a Hobbit. His hair was also weirdly styled, full of braids and specifically shaped (it looked kind of like a star) unlike another Race who did little to define and style their hair so exotically.

His interest was peeked and nothing would satisfy him until he was able to talk to the stranger himself and get some answers. Giving a side look to his mother, Bilbo saw that she was busy talking with the stall owner, looking at the many trinkets and polished stones that were spread out along the clothed shelf. This was perfect! Slipping off, Bilbo was able to discreetly make his way towards the stranger, dodging the careless Big Folk and rushing carts like a professional.

Bilbo was now near next to the stranger who hadn't even noticed him yet, too busy staring intently at a tall Man who was dressed in fancy clothes and seemed to be parading his fortune and wealth among the poor. Bilbo couldn't help but scrunch his nose up at the display and he could tell that the stranger next to him was rather angry as well, his fists clenching and unclenching and his teeth grinding against each other. He looked about ready to do a bad thing...

"Excuse me, Sir?" Bilbo interrupted, politely.

The stranger flinched at the unexpected voice, swiftly turning around with a hand in his belt before he completely froze at the sight of Bilbo before him. A small child with big inquisitive eyes, pointed ears and large feet with thick hair on top. A Hobbit child.

The strangers hand slowly came back out of his belt, nothing in his hand upon returning. Bilbo couldn't help but frown in confusion at that but instantly forgot about the strange act as the stranger started to talk.

"Where's yer Papa, Lad? It's dangerous ta be in these streets on yer own." the stranger asked with a bit of a gruff accent.

Bilbo shook his head as the stranger inquired about his Father. He didn't have a Father anymore and Bilbo couldn't help but correct him, "I don't have a Papa anymore... But I have a Mama and we've been on the road for almost a year now and it's my birthday as well so we came to the market 'cause Mama said that there was one at home and that it may be similar!" he explained with a joyful smile.

The bright smile dropped at the strangers pitying look, the look reminded him of the ones his relatives used to have whenever they saw him and his mother walk by. There was a sudden hurtful pang of grief as he recalled the looks but he shook it off and smiled back up at the stranger, albeit a little smaller than before.

"My name is Bilbo Baggins," he bowed, "At your service!"

The stranger blinked at him like it was something he wasn't used to. It was a couple of seconds before a small, perhaps a little reluctant, smile formed on the strangers lips as he bowed back, "Nori, at yours."

"May I ask a question, Master Nori?" Bilbo asked, trying his best to down play his excitement and hope (he didn't do a very good job of it).

"You may." he nodded, his smile a little wider.

Suddenly finding his feet extremely interesting, Bilbo asked in a hesitant voice, "Wh-What are you?"

Silence was the fauntling's answer but as Bilbo finally glanced up, looking through his long, curly bangs, he was shocked to see Nori's shoulders shaking with his own hand clamped over his mouth, eyes full of pure mirth. The tips of Bilbo's ears were beginning to burn as a bout of embarrassment hit him full force. He was beginning to contemplate just apologising and going back to his mother for the inevitable tongue lashing he'd get for walking away when he heard Nori taking forceful gasps of air to calm himself down.

"I- haha- I, Master Baggins, am what's known as a Dwarf or in plural, Dwarrow." Nori laughed. The Dwarf couldn't help but compare the Hobbit to his baby brother back in the Blue Mountains, shy and curious about the very wind that blows. It made his throat burn and his heart warm at the same time.

"I've-I've never met a dwarf before..." Bilbo admitted shyly.

Nori gave a kind smile before he asked, "Well, now you have! It was an honour to meet you Master Baggins but I think your Mama will be worried about you now so why don't we search for her together, huh?"

Bilbo could feel the blood drain from his face at the mention of his mother and her temper along with their next meeting, Nori must have read his mind as he burst out laughing, shaking his head with a small grin on his face.

"Come on Lad, the shouting and mothering will be over before you know it." he reassured the fauntling, "Trust me, I know how it feels and the person doing it wasn't even my Mother!"

That's how it went for the next half hour. With them trying to spot a Hobbit Lass most likely running around to find her missing son while talking about each others families and past lives. Bilbo learnt that Nori's Mother and Father had passed on and that it was just his older brother, Dori and his younger brother, Ori. Bilbo in turn talked about the Shire and his adventure so far with the trolls and the Elves, though, Nori seemed to scowl at the mere mention of Elves. Bilbo had no idea why, though...

When they finally found Bella, she was how they thought she would be, running around in a panic and asking anyone and everyone if they'd seen someone like her but significantly smaller. When they drew nearer, her eyes instantly zeroed in on the two and Nori saw the raging Mother Bear in her green eyes. Same colour as her sons, he thought absently.

Quick as lightning, she pulled her son into a tight hug, swinging him around once before setting him on the floor again. Her joy suddenly melted into fiery anger as she looked at her son and then to the stranger that had him. The look in her eyes got him instantly sweating. Not that he'd ever admit that, like ever!

"What did I tell you about wondering off! You should know better by now! Anything could have happened! Someone could have taken you! And who are you! Bilbo, my baby, did this Dwarf hurt in any way? You better not have hurt my baby or your last breath will be on a chocked apology!"

It took a while to get the Mother to calm down and get to explain everything and straighten out a few details. After the explanation was done, she let out a calming breath before she glared at her son and said in a voice that held no room for argument, "You are going to have double training for a week after this!"

"Yes, Mother." Bilbo whispered, defeat slumping his shoulders and making him pout.

She turned her jade green eyes to the dwarf before she bowed and said, "My name is Belladonna Baggins, at your service. But please, just call me Bella," she gave a nonchalant shrug, "It's faster to say." Nori in turn bowed to her and said his name in kind. "Thank you for looking after for my son, Master Nori, would you like to join us today and for dinner? I know that Bilbo wouldn't mind." she said with a kind smile. Behind her, Nori could see Bilbo making The Face as he make his eyes as big as possible and made them tear up a little bit. He held back a groan at the adorably cute face before he nodded to the Hobbit Lass's offer.

The rest of the day was full of Nori having to distract Bilbo from his Mothers shopping, it was actually a really difficult task but he'd done it! He went back to the Mother and Sons rented room and that was where he spent the rest of the night. Bella had produced a great meal, the best that the Dwarf had had in a while and he had sure to voice his comment to the fiery woman. He was rewarded with a piece of birthday cake, filled with a raspberry jam centre and with a lemony-cream icing on top, which he took gratefully.

With full bellies and sweet teeth satisfied, Bella sat the young Hobbit down and said that it was time for presents. The Dwarf felt like he was intruding but with both of the Hobbits insistence, Nori decided to stay and with more of Bella's glares, he stayed for the whole night (resting on one of the two beds while the Hobbits bunked together).

One of the first presents was a stone of some type, it was red and was attached to a durable black string. He wasn't a miner so he wasn't as good as identifying different gems and stones as they would be.

"This is called a [fire opal](http://crystal-cure.com/pics/fire-opal05.jpg). It is said that it can withstand the greatest of temperatures and with it you will be able to carry the greatest of memories." she smiled to her son and he accepted with a look of complete awe and amazement. Nori couldn't help but smile at the two, the love so strong between the two that he could almost feel it.

Bella presented a couple of more gifts, a new cloak with no holes or odd coloured patches in it and a brass compass that she said was a family heirloom. A good-luck charm and a promise to make it safely back to them. The last gift is what caught Nori off guard. Going to her pack, Bella pulled out a small sheathed sword, it was about her seize and looked more like a letter opener than anything else. Unsheathing it, Nori could plainly see that it was Elvish make, the engraving and shape giving it away.

Holding out the sword to her child, Bella smiled at Bilbo's awe slowly turning into excitement. "I found this in the cave that the trolls took shelter in at sunlight. It's a little big for now but after a some practice and grow a bit more it'll be fine. This will be your own sword for you to wield and name. You will become Legend when you grow up and will be able to do the most amazing of things. I love you my Little Flame." she breathed as she kissed his forehead and hugged him tight.

"I love you too." Bilbo admitted with all his little heart.

Come morning, Bella and Bilbo were ready to follow the roads again and Nori was about ready to go home to his family. The Hobbits had made him feel welcome but in their display of love that they had for each other, it had made Nori long for his own brothers more than ever before.

He decided that it was time to go home to his family... and he had little Bilbo Baggins to thank for that.

 

\-----

 

A couple of days of walking had Bilbo with a practice wooden sword that Bella had caved for him; it wasn't the best of makes but it would do. Their day breaks now consisted of Bilbo attempting to learn who to use his sword with Bella's help or Bilbo's few requests to learn some other languages or who to whittle (he did seem rather fascinated with how she'd made his little practice sword).

The night was setting quickly so Bella was gathered the wood for a fire and Bilbo was gathering some wood to practice his carving and whittling with. Bella couldn't help the small smile that slowly appeared on her face as she watched her little faunt with his little tongue stuck out in concentration as he worked his dagger carefully through the wood, his grip was deadly tight on the piece of wood as to not let it slip and accidentally cut himself. Again.

It was quiet. They both found it weird that it would be so quiet at night but Bilbo simply shrugged and Bella kept a sharp eye and ear out in the direction of the shadowed trees. She saw and heard no movement from the tree line and so decided to look at her child once more to make sure that he didn't cut himself or needed some help. It was the wrong thing to do.

It was a good thing that she kept her sword close to her at all times as a group of Men with ropes and chains at their hips and blades in their hands ran out of the tree line. Slavers, Bella thought grimly. The Men were relentless as they tried to capture the two Hobbits, a Race that rarely stepped out of the safety of their borders. Bella didn't even think twice before drawing her sword and slicing a Man's throat that came too near to her son who was also fighting back by stabbing his little daggers into the Men's legs, just following his mother's lead.

Most were getting the message as they looked at their already dead companions or injuries and fled the scene, figuring that the two Hobbits weren't easy money after all. But it was only some that still stayed and that was when one of them hit her little Bilbo on the back of the head, effectively knocking him out. Overcome with rage that one of these lowlifes would even touch her son, she threw her daggers at the Men surrounding her son, killing them all before their greedy hands could claim him.

However, in her rage filled act, she forgot about her own safety and it was far too late to react as she was grabbed painfully by her hair and slammed into the uneven ground, knocking the win out of her lungs and scraping her back. She tried to struggle but a hard slap to the face and her hands being pinned to the ground ceased her wiggling and bitting.

"You little bitch!" the Man spat, "I should teach you a lesson for that. You'll learn your place..."

The Man hovered over her, taking a deep breath of her scent before he licked her jaw in a disgusting way. She could see the Man trying to loose himself of his leather belt but before he could undo the buckle, a loud, high pitched war cry sounded behind the Man. Bella caught a glimpse of her son's face, scrunched into a furious expression as he launched himself onto the Man's back and sunk his small dagger into his neck before twisting it and taking it out.

The Man above her had wide eyes of pain and disbelief, dimming as his life slowly slipped away, trying and failing to take breaths of air as his own blood slowly suffocated him. Pushing the Man aside to slump on the ground, Bella caught sight of Bilbo's expression, filled with shock, confusion and terror as he looked at his blood covered hands and the now dead Man before him. Tears quickly sprung to the corners of Bilbo's eyes as his actions caught up to him.

His tears slowly spilled over and his shaky hands dropped the blood splattered knife, his whole body trembling as he stared at the unmoving body, seeming to try to will it to move.

Bella acted quickly as she grabbed her son and turned his face into her neck and shoulder to block him of the vision of his first kill. Bilbo was full on sobbing now, from the pain of his injured head and from the fear of his sudden anger and actions. His little hands fisting into her clothing, getting the blood all over her shirt.

"I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry!" he sobbed uncontrollably, "I-I di-didn't mean to, Mama! I pr-promise, I d-di-didn't m-mean to!"

"Sshh..." she soothed as she stroked the curls on his head that weren't blood soaked. "It's okay. I promise, your not in trouble."

She knew her voice cracked just a little but she couldn't take seeing her Little Flame like this.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours but could have only been for a couple of minutes as she shushed and rocked her child, whispering little reassurances in his ear. While doing that, Bilbo's sobs were getting less and less until they finally stopped and Bilbo slumped into her arms, fast asleep.

Bella took a minute to look at the dead around her. She tucked her Bilbo into his bed before she got to work with removing and cleaning their weapons from the dead bodies. She looked upon the blood on the ground and then to her sleeping son. Making a fast decision, Bella packed their bedrolls and possessions away, Bella burning her blood ruined clothes, as well as Bilbo's before she dressed them both again in spotless clean clothes. She picked up her and Bilbo's packs before carrying Bilbo in her arms.

She walked for as long as she could, trying to get away from the blood and the bodies of the bad Men that were going to do much worse to them but she knew that little fact wouldn't comfort Bilbo so easily.

When she finally settled down again, a couple of miles away from their last camp site, Bella got to work on a small fire and then wounds they'd gotten. Bella, for the most part, only had a few bad bruises but Bilbo had a small cut on the back of his head still trickling with a little blood. Cleaning the wound and putting a salve on it to keep away infection and finally bandaging, Bella knew that the cut would scar, she was only thankful that it was out of sight. The more out of sight it was, the less he'll be reminded of this night.

She knew for a fact that your first kill would always be the hardest to deal with and it would be months before Bilbo can come to terms with what had happened and what he'd done. His mental scars and physical scars would heal from this but only with time...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I couldn't resist not having at least one earlier meeting of one of the Dwarves.  
> And poor Bilbo! This just makes me feel like a horrible person now T-T
> 
> And before you guys go on and say that Bilbo killed the trolls and wot not, let me explain what is going through my weird imagination: Bilbo doesn't feel bad about killed the troll because it was a monster that was about to kill a family while he's just killed a Man not something that looks like a monster. That's how I see it anyway...
> 
> Will update soon!! ;D


	4. To belong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter! Yay!

Sunrise was always Bella's favourite time of day. The golden rays of sun slowly covering everything in a golden glow that made it seem more elegant and pure than it really was. She loved the sunrise for many reasons, one of the important ones being that it chased off the evil dwellings of the night, making them hide away in a dank hole, the sun shone like a protective aura that surrounded the good and innocent of the world. The sunrise also reminded her of events in her life time, good and bad mind you. At the end of her first ever adventure, her bones sore and muscles ached while her whole body practically screamed with all the bruises and cuts that she had obtained, she'd stared at the united family with Gandalf and couldn't help but smile as they hugged and kissed one another in happiness, the rising sun shining over them; that was the point in her life when she realised that she wanted something like that too. Another time was when Bilbo had been born, hours of screaming, sweat and agony, she had picked up her wide-eyed curious baby and walked outside the home that Bungo had built for them and watched the sun rise, it's warm rays touching Bilbo like a gentle caress. It was in a sunrise glow that she witnessed her son shout in agony as an Orc nicked his ear with it's sword, one of the most sensitive parts of a Hobbit's body, and had to force himself to recover quickly and plunge his sword into the creatures stomach before he could be killed himself.

But right now, as the morning birds chirped happily and sung their morning songs, Bella couldn't help but watch as her son rose from his bed roll, blurry eyed and curled hair that was terribly noted and sprouted out in odd directions; the golden rays of sun hitting his face and forcing him out of sleep. She watch in amusement as he mumbled and, with sluggish movements, put a fisted hand to his eye and tried to rub the sleep away while giving a jaw-cracking yawn. It was a few seconds until he saw Bella and decided to give her a sleepy smile as a good morning as he didn't want to talk just yet. With far less grace then usual, Bilbo stood up, (taking his sword with him that he always left within arms reach just in case) most likely to go to relieve himself.

Bella couldn't help but smile as she looked over her memories that they had shared on their quest to find a home. Although there were some bad times that she wished she could un-see but her favourite memories were always of her son. In his young age, he had seen much of the world, the good and the beautiful but what made Bella truly in awe of her son was that he never lost his brave, adventurous streak; at these times she was certain that he would do great things in his life.

Some days, she'd find her mind drifting to the gentle, green hills of the Shire and the smiling neighbours and plentiful vegetable patches and the rich lands around them. On these days she'd think of a Bilbo that had stayed in the smial of his parents, adventurous glint to his eyes dimmed and smile strained or too loose with arrogance of a world he had never seen, believing life to be as flowery as the gardens surrounding him. She'd imagine a Bilbo with a large house, all alone and eating his seven meals a day like any good respecting Hobbit gentleman and taking on the roll as Man of the Smial at such a young age. Bilbo would have had all he needed to survive but he would have lost his bright soul to the upturned noses and the stern talking-tos he'd get from some of his Baggins relatives saying that he needed to grow up.

She often wondered if there was a difference... Between the harsh Hobbit words and the harsh exposed life of travelling all over Middle-Earth.

Sure, her son had knowledge of the world, knowing its dangers and its beauty but she couldn't help but think of the clear skin he'd have had in Hobbiton and the slightly scarred skin he bore today. He carried weapons all the time and if it wasn't on him it was always close by. His knives circled his right thigh, as sharp and deadly as his accurate throwing skills as well as several hidden on his person, out of sight in the layers of clothing. His sword, Sting, was his favoured weapon. He'd named the sword after they had an unpleasant run in with some dark, over-grown creature that hissed at the stinging cuts his sword made (Bella didn't really have room to talk as she had named her own sword 'Burn' when he was younger). His last weapon was his bow and arrows, his interactions with Elves making him want to try it. When he got too big for the practice bow he'd been gifted, he'd crafted his own bow and arrows out of fine wood and carved small symbols into the wood of his bow of all the people they had met on the road over the years (he'd said he wanted to remember them all and keep them close).

Her son's hands were battle worn, with padded finger tips and chipped barely-cared-for nails. He had a few small scars on his hands but they were either small nicks in a fight or a slip of the wrist from carving. After he'd received his small wooden practice sword, he'd shown great interest in wood carving. It had taken him years of cuts and slices to perfect his works of art. The most beautiful carving he had made was a small smoking pipe he'd attached to a piece of chain he'd bought in the other town and had given it to her on her birthday; a small trinket to keep her husband close to her heart even after years of his untimely departure. They often sold the wooden carvings in the towns that they visited, the children taking one look at the collection of wooden toys and pulling their mothers over to the sellers to buy one for them. It was something that she would always show proudness to her son with his amazing talents.

On days that the weather was grey and the Big Folk shoved them out of the way like lowly scavenging children, Bella wished that her son had a home to go back to; a warm bed in the night with a roaring fireplace and a set of books to keep him happy. She had done all she could to protect him but sometimes, she felt like it wasn't enough...

They needed a home.

They had left their old one, full of broken memories, but Bella felt like it was time for them to feel like they belong somewhere. Travelling over the Middle-Earth and teaching him the lands that she had learned about on her first venture had been a great idea as it had brought her boy's adventurous side to life and had made him strong with many allies throughout the lands. Sure, they had rented rooms and stayed in other homes before but they were never permanent fixtures in their lives; they just jumped from place to place.

As the golden rays of heat hit Bella's face, she couldn't help but think of the place that showed the sunrise and stars in the most magnificent ways that she could hardly describe. They had one final stop to make...

 

\----------

 

Bilbo had no idea where they were going. His mother just giving off hints and impossible riddles or telling him to have patients.

Usually, when they ventured somewhere with a task in mind, Bilbo got a brief description where they were going and who they were going to meet. This time, however, appeared to be different. Special.

When he had returned from his morning relief, it was to find his mother staring at the sunrise she adored so much with a small contemplative smile on her lips. That was the first clue that Bilbo had and that was that his mother had something- a target- in mind. They more or less travelled aimlessly, stopping by villages or isolated homes with nice families for the worst of the winter snow. It was very rarely that his mother ever had anything in mind but when there was, it was usually to visit old friends of hers or to see something magnificent.

It had been a week since then and with every mile they got closer to their destination, the tracks or any evidence of Orc or Warg packs had become near non-existent. Weird...

It was only a couple of uneventful days later that he finally found out where they were going and he found out in a very surprising way. Right in front of him, standing a around four ft taller than himself and his mother, covered in feathers and a deadly sharp beak for a mouth stood the most magnificent eagle Bilbo has ever seen!!

The Eagle had big eyes that had large black pupils that seemed eery when it looked into his eyes and a gold ring circling the outside. It's feathers were beautiful with intriguing patterns to rival Bilbo's own and, if Bilbo had any given guess, it had a wing span twice the seize of his own as well!

It was a couple of minutes where the Eagle studied both him and his mother in turn before it spread it's impressive wing span and seemed to bow in welcome.

Involuntarily, Bilbo found himself quickly dropping his glamour to spread out his own wings. As he did so, he could sense the surprise coming from the large bird before him and could tell that those beady eyes were taking in the blood red and golden feathers with small embers falling off of the ends. He bowed the same way that the Eagle first did before he came up again and tucked his wings behind him, setting off some more floating embers in the wings fast movement.

The silence dragged on for a few minutes with Bilbo wondering why on Middle-Eath he just did that and was about to apologise before the bird surprisingly spoke.

"Greetings my Air Brother! It is fortunate to meet someone as unique as you." the Eagle then tilted its head towards Bella, "And it is good to meet you again Bella the fearless!"

Bilbo's head moved so quickly that he got slightly whiplashed and saw his mothers bright smile in return of the greeting.

"It is good to see you again, my friend. This is my son, Bilbo Baggins. He is still a child but he grows stronger every day and I wish to find solitude in your nest so that he may learn the rules of the sky that the forever grounded take advantage of." Bella spoke to the Eagle while trying to be clear and address the matter at hand unlike beating around the bush like she'd do for others.

This Eagle nodded his head, side-eyeing Bilbo as he considered the request, "But of course. You have always been welcome to our Nest and it would be an honour to teach your son the ways of the sky. It is an honour to meet one of Bella's blood line, I am Glassire."

Bilbo was quite ashamed to say that he was barely listening to the conversation his mother and the giant Eagle were having. He didn't want to be rude, despite being brought up on the roads by his mother, she still beat politeness and manners into him, but he was having a really hard time trying to understand what exactly had occurred in the last couple of seconds. How on Middle-Earth did his mother know giant Eagles?!

Blinking away the rushing thoughts, Bilbo could hardly manage a nod of acknowledgment and a mumbled, "At your survive." before he was completely enveloped in his own thoughts once again. When he looked back on this day in the far future, he will never understand how he was able to miss the fact that he could understand the Eagle at all.

Bella gave off a small giggle at her son's internal melt down. Well, she guessed it wasn't every day that someone got to meet the Eagles of Manwë; she had done the same thing when she had first met them (she had screamed at first but that wasn't really important).

With a smirk and a side-long look to her old friend, Glassire, Bella subtly nodded towards her son as a motion to do something. It was almost immediate that the Eagle inclined it's head and let Bella climb onto his back, like she had done so many years ago. With one beat of his great wings, he was airborne. In one swift movement, he grabbed Bilbo with his sharp talons; ever so carful as to not injure the young Hobbit.

Bilbo would forever deny the fact that when Glassire did this, he flapped his wings in a frenzy and screamed like a little girl...

 

\----------

 

It had year since Bilbo had first met the Eagles of Manwë and he was now 24 years old. He was practically a tween now!

He and his mother had been living a homey life for the past year. After the initial shock had worn off, Bilbo was able to get the information he needed to understand it all. Apparently, his mother had met the Eagles of Manwë a few years ago in her early adventures and ended up saving one of their own in an attack of a Warg pack. She had been given the title of fearless for her immediate response to help one of their own. He had also found that he could naturally understand the language of the Eagles due to his Phoenix heritage which allowed him to speak with other intellectual birds.

They had been given a nest and the two Hobbits had enough camping equipment to deal with the cold weather and such. His mother had made it clear that they were there to stay so Bilbo decided to do something Hobbit-ish for once in his life, he made a small garden. He found a run down patch of dirt a little ways away from the nest and decided to try and work his green fingers. At first, he hadn't been very successful, he knew how to make plants and herbs around him useful but he had little knowledge or experience of nurturing and bringing something to life. At one point, he was about to give up but the memory of his father's gentle smile and proud eyes when he looked at the garden he nurtured to a full and beautiful life had him trying again and again. It wasn't the best of first, if a little sloppy and bare but he felt pride in it nonetheless. Soon he had a small patch of Dahlia and Plumeria and he had set aside a patch of Nightshade, just in case...

The Eagles had gotten straight to work in Bilbo's training. They included him in hunts and patrolling to help in his silent flight and his wing stamina. His wings had never been so strong as they could carry him for hours and hours in the toughest of winds. He was called 'Air Brother' by most of the adults that flew with him and by his friends his was called 'Phoenix Heart' or just 'Bilbo'.

Making friends had never really been an issue for Bilbo, he could talk to anyone and they either liked him or didn't, he couldn't please everyone. The Eagles that were around his age were wary at first, not having ever seen a Hobbit and he had to admit, he did look really small compared to them but once they found out about his wings, they were a little more accepting. His first friend had been an over excited girl named Glisco with a dirty blond colouring to her feathers.

She had been quickly followed by Fainn and Lusicur, who were brothers with Fainn being the eldest of the two. Fainn was a little more reserved and over protective of his little brother and some of that protectiveness also went to Bilbo on occasions, Bilbo had no clue why he was so protective but he could only shrug and try to hide from the overgrown bird when he wanted to do something others would call 'trouble-making'. He often found himself hiding away with Lusicur which was how they became so close. Fainn had a light wood brown colour to his feathers and Lusicur had a reddish-brown to his own.

Florteues was like a second father to Bilbo. He was the Eagle that his mother had saved all those years ago and upon meeting him, Florteues had appointed himself Bilbo's mentor and was always dragging Bilbo out of his nest way too early in the morning. He was also way too protective of Bilbo, saddened by the story of Bilbo's father dying when he was only 15 years old and sleeping on the roads ever since. Bilbo often found himself pressed into the side of Florteues' dark grey feathers with a large wing draped over his head and shoulders on cold nights when his shivers were a little too visible.

Glassire and his life-partner, Marmary, were like his weird aunt and uncle and both had the colouring of deep mahogany brown. They were best friends with his mother and they were enthusiastic and happy that Bella had settled down enough to have a son and it had become a little task to try and make Bilbo feel as comfortable with them as possible, knowing that he hadn't had a real home in years and wanting him to have a real taste of family and the whole package.

It was a year of laughing, joking, crying and trying to grow a damn plant and Bilbo had never been as happy as he did with his family of Eagles and his mother. He had always thought it would be him and his mother against the world, with the amounts of times he'd been a near victim to drunks or slavers it wasn't very surprising. He'd been through a year of training his wings and his powers. At the moment he was learning to combine his wings, powers and his fighting skill to fluid and one second reactions to use them. Over the years he'd hardly put up his glamour and he'd never flown so much in his life, it made him feel free and alive, like he hadn't truly lived until he cut across the sky like a flying arrow.

However, as a year went past, Bilbo was finding that their clothes, though thick for travelling, was full of holes and tears and was worn thin in some places. Their blankets, on whole where now practically shreds (the Eagles wings worked as a cover from the rain and cold but it was nice to have a blanket to wrap up in). They also needed more flint if they were going to eat cooked meat instead of raw like the Eagles did.

His mother's birthday was also coming up and Bilbo wanted to get a few nice things from a market stool instead of a homemade carving. That was when he devised a great plan!

"No." Glisco stated flatly.

"What?! I haven't even said anything yet!" Bilbo exclaimed while he waved his arms in the air.

"No. Whenever you have that smirk or are walking in that funny way with your hands behind your back, I know your going to ask me to do something stupid with you. And I can see you preparing your puppy dog eyes! So, no!" She yelled at the end.

Bilbo held up his hands in mock surrender but it only made Glisco narrow her eyes even more so, "It wont end up like last time, I promise. I have a foolproof plan!"

Glisco only stared at Bilbo with half lidded eyes, showing that she didn't believe him _at all_ , "Last time, I was band from the Hunt for a month and I had to put up with the disappointed looks my mum always gave me afterwards!"

"It wont be like that! ...Again. Look, I've been here for about a year but I don't have anymore clean closes with no blood stains on them or holes throughout the whole thing! It's my mother's birthday soon and I just need to go to the nearest market place to buy some materials and I know that you want to see a Man settlement as well. So don't deny it!" Bilbo rushed to say so that his loud friend wouldn't scream at him before he finished.

She looked to be considering it and at this point, Bilbo knew that he won already.

"You don't have any money. I know you spent the last of it before you came here; you said so."

"I can make money by selling some good carvings that I've been saving up."

There was a long minute of silence before Glisco nodded her head slowly and asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Bilbo grinned at his friend with mischievous eyes before he told her his 'foolproof' plan.

 

\----------

 

It was easier than he had actually expected.

The pair had told their mums that they were going on a small hunting trip that would only take a week at tops. Glisco was an extremely bad lier so Bilbo had to cover for her. Surprisingly, their mothers had agreed with the arrangement, saying that they needed to leave the nest more often and that this was a great way to train their awareness and for Bilbo to top up his study on plant lore. The pair had quickly nodded their heads before taking their necessary items and heading out as soon as possible.

The flight was quick, Bilbo being slightly slower than Glisco due to his bag of supplies but they flew until they saw tell tales of a settlement near-by. They both knew that Glisco couldn't enter the village as no one had ever seen a giant eagle and would most likely freak out and try to hunt them down with pitch forks and such.

They landed a few miles away from the village so that no one could accidentally come upon them or spot them in the distance. They didn't need the whole village out in the woods looking for a large bird and a winged boy... No. Glisco would have to watch from the distance while Bilbo did some earning.

In landing, Bilbo relished in the cold and pact soil underneath his thickly padded feet; he always liked large forests with years of fallen leaves and twigs covering the earth. It made him feel calm.

"Right, you need to say here for a couple of hours. You can hunt a couple of miles away while I'm in the village market and when night comes, we can fly over the village. Sound good?"

At Glisco's agreement, Bilbo closed his eyes and focused. He focused on his inner heat, a fire forever roaring in his chest. Slowly but surely, he brought out the heat and let it envelope him like a warm blanket. When he opened his eyes, he could no longer feel the slight breeze ruffling feathers or his feathers gently brushing the ground. His wings were gone. Hidden from sight until he deemed otherwise.

He opened his eyes to find Glisco giving him the strangest look he had ever seen on his friend.

"What? Why are you looking at me like I've spontaneously gone bald?" He asked while tugging on some of his curls just to make sure.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just..." her eyes narrowed farther when she regarded him, eyes focusing on his back, "It looks strange when you've got no wings."

"Oh." was all he could say. What else could he say? No one at the Nest had ever seen him with his glamour up and he hadn't had the need to use it in the year that he lived with the Eagles. Although, he felt better when he had his glamour down to show his wings; he felt free with his wings.

"Remember, we have one week to do this and make it look like we've only been hunting. As soon as I've finished up in the village, I'll join you on the hunt and we can go on the usual hunting areas that we know." he explained while he picked up his bag full of his merchandise once again and slung it over one shoulder. With a bright grin, Bilbo headed towards the village on foot.

The journey only took about an hour or so and was emerging from the tree line to explore the village. The village seemed like a miniature town, with an average seized market space and a plenty of people to mingle from store to store. Most of the people were Man but there were some travelling Elves and Dwarrow. No one really payed any attention to the Hobbit that looked like a Man's child weaving through the crowds with a precise manner.

Bilbo had never really been anywhere on his own. He had always had his mother to accompany him to market places or travelling in general but right now, he was alone. Glisco was off hunting somewhere, his mother and the other Eagles where at the Nest with no idea where he or Glisco really was.

Taking a calming deep breath, Bilbo kept his head up and his eyes forward. He could do this. He just had to quickly set up shop, sell as much as he could, buy his materials and then head home. Easy.

What really surprised Bilbo was that it was extremely easy. He quickly set up a stool, taking a few of his wood carvings on display, some brilliantly varnished and some with a soft natural texture that some people favour. Some of his carvings were simple and others were complicated with rounded stones worked into the piece. It wasn't long before he was getting some attention from some shoppers. More and more kept coming in a steady flow of buyers that admired his talents and picked up small trinkets or necklaces. It was safe to say that Bilbo only had a few carvings left at the end of the day and a pouch full of coins to spend on materials tomorrow.

He greeted Glisco with a tired smile before he dropped his glamour and ungracefully fell, face-first, onto his laid out blanket, his wings serving as a cover over the warmth.

The next day, Bilbo went to the market and spent the whole day buying tough materials much like leather. He also bought threads and needles to stitch designs and mend the clothes together; he had made his own clothes enough times to know how to do the procedure.

At times, he was stopped in the market by the odd person making small talk with him and generally being polite. The Elves in particular, seemed to be interested in the work he put into his bow and arrows. By the end of the second day, Bilbo was able to get all of his desired materials for his mother and himself. He'd also bought a thick, dark red material that had caught his attention to keep for himself.

That night, he and Glisco flew over the small village, eyeing the fire light that illuminated the corners of the narrow streets. The odd person was walking about but they never saw the two above as they were too well trained in silent flight and cover. The village, as a whole looked mysterious with the shadows draping over the odd pathway and looked somewhat magical with the numerous firelight. Bilbo was especially glad that Glisco would stop ranting about wanting to see a village back at the Nest...

The rest of the week was devoted to hunting and gathering odd berries and plants that Bilbo could use to make some mixture or another. It was also a time he spent with a multitude of swear words in the different languages he used as he constantly pricked his fingers on the sharp needle he used to stitch the clothes.

By the time they had to return home, Bilbo was sure that his plan had worked completely and when he gifted his mother with the new clothes, she would be far too impressed with them to care where they came from and if she did ask then he could say he found the material. Even Glisco had commented on the well stitched designs on the clothing! The trousers were soft and the stitches tight with leather lining the sides and around the knees and shin areas; the shirts were double layered with leather at the elbows and pouches at the front to resemble pockets. He had also made them both cloaks, the hoods were large and could easily shadow his face if he wished it, it had inside pockets to hold weapons or important corked tubes of mixtures. His clock was of the deep red that he had favoured in the market with his mother's being a deep green that went with her eyes.

He should have known that someone had overheard his plan at the very beginning and had told Glisco's and Bilbo's parents to explain their real intentions to leave the Nest for a week.

It was no surprise that Bilbo and Glisco were banned from the hunt for two months. Bilbo also had the privilege of the silent treatment from Glisco in that time...

On the positive side, his mother had loved the new clothes that he made for her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter should do it!!  
> Till then, see ya!!


	5. Darkness consumes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Last chapter of this part in the series!  
> Kick back and enjoy!

It was early spring and Bilbo couldn't help but smile when the birds around him chirped and sang in the morning light, their small wings fluttering frantically to get where they need to, either going to a nearby river to drink or to pick at the nuts and berries that were beginning to grow all around them. It was peaceful and the golden glow of the sun warmed his face and made him hum in his happiness.

They had been here two years now and Bilbo was 25 years of age. It had been rough at the very start, even in their old home, one that he could barely remember with green hills and colourful round doors, it had been rough. The pressure of others finding out that he was... _different_ from the rest, weighing down on his parents' shoulders the whole time they lived there. The road that they decided to travel was no less hard, filled with tough times that lead to them not having enough money or food on occasion.

But here, their nest with the Eagles he's come to know as aunts, uncles and cousins, all he could say was that it was all worth it. It was worth the wait, the travel, the scars and even the horror of the monsters in the night. It was all worth it to see his mother smile like he'd never seen before. A smile of warmth, relief and pure happiness.

Bilbo could tell that they were both content here, this was their home and this was their family.

She always smiled whenever they got to fly together. Riding out every week to hunt and catch some food, Bilbo would sometimes be allowed to accompany the hunting flock to watch and learn their ways and on some occasions, his mother would join them with with her hand crafted spear and a friend's back to ride on, her dark green cloak fluttering gracefully in the wind.

Wrinkles had gathered around the corners of her eyes showing everyone all the happiness in her old life. Bilbo knew that she often tried to hide it but she was getting older and more frail by the day. Her past adventures and her heart-break when Bungo died catching up with her far too soon in life. He could see it more in the winter days, when the fall had started and bitter cold made her bones creek and her face pinch with pain as they did so. Her days were numbered but no one ever dared to point this out.

Taking in a deep breath of spring scented air, Bilbo decided to switch off his thoughts as he focused on the breathtaking view before him. A small stream of water seemed to crawl by lazily, a faint trickling of the water could be heard in it's travels as it meandered elegantly through the herd of mighty trees. All the trees were pine, it's sharp needle's a lush green with it's health of the season and bits of moss could be seen clinging to the bark of the trees. Small bird's nests could be seen in the tree's branches as well as small squirrels and chipmunks scurrying along in search for nuts and such. Vibrantly colourful flowers dotted around the thick grass that made up the floor, that added to the beauty of the beautiful scene before him.

He was perched high on the edge of the rock cliff, no fear of falling as he leaned over the edge as much as he could. Sharp rocks jabbed into the soles of his large feet but he didn't faze or even wince; his feet having long ago accustomed to the sharp rocks that have done nothing but thicken the skin of his feet even more so. His fire-coloured wings folded into his back comfortably, the ends of his feathers just tickling the ground.

Beside him was his hood that he had made a year ago, the red didn't stand out as much as people would think, the dark material almost a rusty colour that blended with the darkness whenever he moved to hide. The only difference in the cloak was the added button to keep it closed at the top, he'd carved it into the shape of a small feather and the feather's he'd sown inside the hood.

The feathers had been gifted to him by his mother for his last birthday. She said that they were from the Phoenix that had granted her a baby that she and his father had so wished for. She told him about the time it first started to glow, like a beacon of light on their living room shelf and it was the first time his powers had awoken. Throughout the years that she'd possessed the three feathers, she's noticed that with the more power he uses the more intense it glows. She turned them over to him for safer keeping.

As soon as she had gifted it to him, he sowed them into the inside of his hood so that he wouldn't loose them. His friends had said that the light made him look like an all powerful being and that with the light at the back of his head, no one could really make out his face. His cloak was probably in the top five of his favourite things he owned.

Just as Bilbo stood up from his perch, picking up his cloak as well, he heard a call of his name, coming from the Nest above. Without a second thought, he took off.

Waiting, in the Nest, was his mother, her cloak thrown over her shoulders and her sword tied at her hip. She carried her sword more out of memory and habit now than something she actually used; Bilbo did the same so he could understand why she did it. She smiled at him warmly, the wrinkles around her eyes appearing once again with the beauty of her face and then she turning back around to do whatever she was doing before, showing her dark hair falling down her back in elegant curls.

"You ready?" he asked after he walked over and hugged her in greeting.

It was not a couple of days ago that Bella asked him to accompany him to his garden that had grown and expanded in the couple of years he's set it up. She went there almost every week as it was, saying that she liked the added Hobbit effect to their home and that it reminded her of how Bungo used to garden - neat and organised in a way that only her late husband could. Bilbo couldn't help the painful pinch in his chest whenever she talked about her husband and his father, there was an agonising pain in her eyes that he could do nothing about...

"Yes, Bilbo, let me just pack a few more berries for the trip." she said without looking at him as she packed some more things into her pack that he would somehow end up carrying for her at some point in their trip. He still had no idea how she always did that to him, it's like one second his arms are free and the next, their full of his mother's things without him remembering how they got there.

It was barely a minute later that they were saying a short farewell to their friends and family and on their way down the small mountain that they lived in. The garden that he set up was within their territory and no more than an hours walk away.

Once they arrived, Bilbo couldn't help the swell of pride in his chest as he looked at what he had created. Vibrant flowers were mixed and singled out in large batches that only seemed partially organised, small amounts of ivory and white flowers twisting and climbing up the trunks of the trees and up the small bench he's carved out of a log which was based in the middle of the somewhat wild garden. The early sun shined through the thick leaves of the willow tree which made the foot of the garden, it's towering form seeming protective and strong in the sunlight.

Eying his mother out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but match the small and tender smile on her face, a clear sign of her happiness. He saw her smile brighten from wonder to amusement when she caught sight of the small bundle of Belladonna growing off to the side.

With a delighted sigh, she sat down on the log-bench after she took off her thick cloak to fold and sit on. Bilbo quickly told her to wait before he took care of the small bits in the garden that needed to be tended to such as snipping some of the dead leaves off of places and cleared them out, making the trees neat and finally he plucked a flower from one of his batches and gave it to his mother who smiled in thanks.

Most of the day was made up of random chatter that flowed easily between them. Her retelling stories of her past adventures that he never got tired of hearing and him telling of his teachings and pranks he's done with his friends and complaining about Fainn's overprotective nature over him and Lusicur. Before they knew it, they had eaten most of the snacks his mother had prepared and the sun was only a few hours away from disappearing from the horizon. Reluctantly, they gathered their things and stared to head home, talking and laughing while they did so.

It was a little into their journey back that Bella started a more serious conversation that had Bilbo paying full and close attention, "Bilbo, I know that we have found a home along the Eagles and that it's a place that you have all of your friends and close relationships but... I want you to promise me something," at Bilbo's slow and uncertain nod, she carried on, "I want you to go back. Back to The Shire and Hobbiton and our old relatives. I want you to go back and visit what you were born into."

"I'm not asking you to stay there forever, child," she added with an amused smile at his wide eyed stare, "I'm asking you to visit your homeland and know what your father and I grew up with... What you grew up with before we left. Remember you have a home in many places Bilbo. You have a home with all the friends you've made in our travels, you have one here and you have one in The Shire. Go see our rolling green hills for me, again, one day."

Bilbo swallowed a little at her intense stare, giving a small nod. A smile bloomed over his face as he said cheerfully, "At least it'll be another place I can carve into my bow."

Bella chuckled, a small sparkle in her eyes, "Yes, of course. With the way you are with your bow, you'd think that you married it."

He rolled his eyes with a small smile on his face, his mother had been saying that for years with how much he obviously loved his bow but his smile instantly dropped from his face as he heard a small ruffle from the bushed around them. He only hesitated for a second before deciding to ignore it in favour of getting home and thinking it was only a fox of some sort; he put his hand on his sword just in case though. It was a second too late that he saw a faint blue glow shining out the top of his sheath.

"ORCS!" was all he could say before the Orcs were upon them. He barely had enough time to draw his sword before one of the wretched creatures let loose a wild swing aimed for his head. Behind him, he could hear his mother drawing her own sword to block a strike. He focused on his own, knowing that he wouldn't be any help to her if he were to be killed for being distracted.

Swiftly, he cut down the Orcs around him, gritting his teeth when one sliced him over the shoulder. He could already tell that it was deep and the blood had already started to soak into his shirt but he was able to ignore it with the help of some adrenaline and kept on fighting. Distantly, he could hear the howls of Wargs, making dread started to curl in his stomach at the noise. He hated Wargs and now there was an even slimmer chance of making it out of this fight as victor.

Distractedly, he blocked a hard hit that made his arm tremble as the Orc put more weight on it until he was in Bilbo's face, pointed teeth showing in his evil grin. Bilbo slipped his knife free from his sleeve and into his hand, jamming it in the Orc's eye as hard as he could before ripping it out, warm black blood spraying over his cheek as he did so.

It wasn't long before the first Warg arrived, attention drawn to Bilbo who was still slitting Orcs' throats left and right. It tackled him to the ground, teeth bared and snapping it's jaws in an attempt to kill him. Bilbo was able to get his sword up and swung it at the Warg before stabbing it in the heart with his dagger, jarring his shoulder and forcing him to clench his jaw from the pain.

As the Warg's heavy body fell on him, it's weight momentarily trapping him until he clawed his way out, he looked over at his mother and saw her struggling to handle all the Orcs surrounding her on all sides. With a surge of panicked adrenalin, he heaved the Warg off of him, barely managing to catch the jagged blade that came at him when he crawled out. With a growl, he quickly killed the ones around him, silently thanking Yavanna that the Warg he killed appeared to be the only one.

As he heard another movement off to the side of him, he saw an Orc with a twisted grin on his face as he pulled back his grimy bow string and aimed... aimed at his mother who was too busy fighting off the Orcs around her to notice that someone was taking aim. Eyes wide with fear and heart frantic and loud in his ears, Bilbo ran to tackle the Orc who hadn't noticed him until it was too late. But Bilbo only managed to jump the Orc and kill it a split second after it fired.

"NO!" was the unrecognisable scream that came from him, full of anguish and terror as tears sprung to his eyes at what he knew to be inevitable.

The thump that was made when the twisted form of the arrow connected with his mother's back, making her stop fighting and fall to her knees, was loud in Bilbo's ears. An Orcs grinned evilly down at her shocked and dazed face, preparing to slit her throat but, by some miracle, Bilbo was able to get there fast enough and kill the creatures surrounding her. Distantly, he could hear more just five or six minutes away but he ignored it in favour of tending to his mother.

He pulled the black arrow out swiftly, making sure that the pull was clear and less painful. He dropped to his knees beside her, hot tears burning his cheeks as they ran down his face. He reached out with shaking hands and cupped her face carefully as her eyes drooped and it was clear that she was struggling to keep them open.

"Mother," he whispered as he tried to put pressure on the wound on her back, making her wince in pain, "Mother please, stay with me. You have to stay wake."

With blood soaked teeth, Bella tried to smile reassuringly at her son, the pain making it near impossible for her to speak.

"Please," Bilbo continued to beg, his voice straining as he tried not to out-right sob, "Moth- Mama plea- please stay with me. Don't leave me."

He felt a warm tender hand on his cheek, brushing away the black blood that had dried there, her smile wobbling as she tried to breath through the pain. Then, with one final breath, she whispered, "I... I l-love you." and then the light left her eyes and her body went limb in Bilbo's arms.

"No! Nononono! Please, mama!" Bilbo yelled at her still body, his vision blurry with tears that he had to quickly blink away. He squeezed her tightly as he put his forehead on hers before he gently closed her eyes with his shaking hand, "I love you too..." he brokenly whispered before gently laying her on the ground.

Bilbo picked up his dagger and sheathed it before he picked up his own called sword and his mother's. He tied her sheath next to his own before he brought up the swords, ready to fight.

He was just in time for the Orcs to charge into the clearing, their blood thirst clear in their eyes and grins. He looked up at them, fiery orange and red replacing the field green in his irises and he fanned out his wings, burning hot fire and bright embers flying off of his feathers like they had never done before. Fuelled by his grief and anger he charged at them, slicing, cutting, slitting and burning all that stood before him. By the time he was finished, all the Orcs were dead and he was covered in black blood as well as red from his own cuts that he had gained in the fight.

Once he wiped off all the blood from both of his swords, he sheathed them both to his left hip and walked over to were his mother lay.

Carefully, he picked up the small woman and started to make his way back slowly to the Nest, tears rolling down his stoic and blank face the whole time.

When he arrived back in the Nest, everyone reacted in panic. He let them take his mother away to clean her up so he didn't have to do it himself and his friends and family crowded him, giving him silent support as Bilbo cried and stitched up his own wounds, putting some herbs on his wounds to keep infection away before he bandaged them up.

Come morning, he hadn't slept at all as he blankly stared at the sunrise like his mother did so often before. Everyone was quiet, speaking to him in soft voices and getting him to explain that Orcs had infiltrated their territory and attacked them. After he told them where it was, they left to clean it up and left him alone with only the company of his friends as he grieved in silence.

It was two days later that they buried her body, returning her to the Earth.

It was a week later that the Elders of the flock declared war on the Orcs as they continued to press the boarders their territory.

It was three months later that Bilbo and his friends and family went to war...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more, I promise!  
> Chow for now!

**Author's Note:**

> So..... What do you think?
> 
> Promise to write more soon!! Bye!!


End file.
